Development camp never gets old for Richard, who steals the show in 3-on-3

The Buffalo Sabres wrapped up their 2025 development camp with Thursday’s 3-on-3 scrimmage at LECOM Harborcenter.

Following four days of on- and off-ice training and coaching, a collection of the organization’s prospects faced off in a fast-paced competition. Team Blue overcame a 6-2 halftime deficit to beat Team Gold.

Forward Jake Richard, a 2022 sixth-round pick and rising junior at the University of Connecticut, led the charge during 3-on-3 play with a hat trick – an early tap-in to open the scoring, then two breakaway tallies in quick succession to secure the victory. He had multiple additional breakaways and, in the end-of-game, full-squad shootout, a flashy between-the-legs goal.

“Just something that I’ve done, worked on growing up, kind of just messing around after practice and stuff,” the smirking Richard said of his shootout move. “So, just something fun I pulled out there.”

Richard said he didn’t feel any added pressure to perform while Sabres evaluators, from minor league coaches to general manager Kevyn Adams, watched from above. His comfort at development camp is understandable, as this marked Richard’s fourth straight year attending the event.

“That’s not really something I think about during the game,” he said when asked about the spectating executives. “It’s just the competitive spirit in me wanting to win a hockey game. Everyone on the bench is like, ‘We’re not losing this game, let’s go here.’ So, I don’t think that’s really in the back of my mind. I’m just out there playing hockey, trying to win.”

The 20-year-old and UConn did their share of winning this past season, going 23-12-4 – those 23 wins setting a program record – and reaching their first NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Penn State in overtime in the second round. The sophomore Richard finished second among Huskies with 43 points (15+28) in 34 games.

Through four years, development camp hasn’t gotten old for Richard, who relishes the opportunity to skate with Buffalo’s other prospects, learn from its coaches, use its facilities and continue working toward a professional career.

“I love hockey; I love getting better,” he said. “It’s all I ever want to do and all I ever think about. And I have such amazing resources, whether it’s at school or here in Buffalo, that I have everything I need to make it to the next level. It just comes down to me putting the work in and taking advantage of those resources. So, I feel very good about the spot I’m in right now.”

Here's more from the final day of 2025 development camp.

Defensemen running wild

With an abundance of open ice, 3-on-3 hockey tends to bring out the best – offensively – from defensemen. Especially so on Thursday, as both scrimmage rosters featured more blueliners than forwards.

One defenseman who made the most of his opportunity was 2025 fifth-round pick Noah Laberge. The 6-foot-1, left-shot prospect consistently jumped into the play, carried the puck to the net and created chances, and he got a goal for his efforts. He also dished a beautiful stretch pass from deep in his own end.

Laberge displayed his offensive skills this past season, too, playing for the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan and finished with 35 points (12+23) in 63 games. For 2025-26, he’s staying in the QMJHL but joining the Newfoundland Regiment for their inaugural season.

And defenseman Simon-Pier Brunet, at his second camp after being drafted in last year's fourth round, contributed a pair of goals. The second came on a remarkable, between-the-legs, backhand, spin-around effort in tight. Brunet is set to join the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres this coming season, then Merrimack College for 2026-27.

Update on Devon Levi

Seamus Kotyk, the organization's goaltending development coach, offered his thoughts on Devon Levi, who’s spent much of the last two seasons with Rochester and ranked among the AHL’s best netminders. In the 2024-25 regular season, Levi finished with a 2.20 goals-against average – compared to 2.42 the previous year – and a .919 save percentage, down slightly from .927 in 2023-24.

“He took a lot of steps with improving, just the workload, the volume, the games, consistency,” Kotyk said. “… And more subtle things you don’t see when you come to the rink: the maturing into the pro every day, the day-to-day, the habits, the lifestyle, that’s where I saw a lot of growth.”

Levi is eager, of course, to establish himself as a regular at the NHL level. In the meantime, though, he’s embraced his role with the Amerks and been a key factor behind back-to-back strong seasons and playoff appearances in Rochester.

“He had every opportunity to come in with a chip on his shoulder, but that’s not him,” Kotyk continued. “All the personalities matched with that team, and he was – always, every day – in the moment. He was never like ‘I should be in Buffalo.’ He was just, ‘I’m here, I’m gonna make the most of it and I’m gonna give what I have.’”

Adams has said he’d be comfortable with an opening-night goalie tandem of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Levi, but that may be less likely after Tuesday’s free-agent signing of veteran Alex Lyon. Even if Lyon’s signing means Levi’s remaining in Rochester for now, it shouldn’t prove detrimental to the latter’s development.

“I don’t think it hurts having more reps at the minor league level; I think it benefits the long run of your career,” Kotyk said. “Getting a little more reps under your belt, I think, can help with your consistency down the road, when that consistency is really needed in your game. And the Sabres, we’ve got to have goaltending that is there every night for us.”